A new macOS malware called “mshelper” seems to be infecting a lot of Macbooks lately. Here’s how you can remove it from macOS in just a few steps.
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What is mshelper?
mshelper is a new macOS malware that overloads the processor, which leads to rapid battery drain. It is not known as to how this malware found its way into macOS.
Though user error is the likely culprit, we can’t rule out a remote file executing with root privileges via a web browser.
This malware might have made its way to Macbooks through spammy installers for Adobe Flash.
Apart from that, it could also be a part of an existing application that has crossed its “pre-defined range”.
Is it dangerous?
Some users erroneously assumed that this bug was a virus or a zero-day exploit, which is not true. There are no public security flaws available for macOS as of right now.
There are no reports on this malicious process actually damaging computers or stealing user data.
However, it could be a cryptocurrency miner judging by its high processor usage.
Nonetheless, it’s considered good practice to remove any virus or malware just as it infects your computer. You can remove it once and for all by following the tutorial given below.
How to remove mshelper malware from macOS
Step 1 Launch Activity Monitor and go to the CPU tab.
Step 2 Sort the processes based on CPU consumption and ensure “mshelper” is present in this list. If it doesn’t show up, your machine is not infected.
Step 3 Open Finder and click on the “Go” tab.
Step 4 Press “Alt” and open the Library folder.
Step 5 Navigate to LauchAgents folder (LaunchDaemons) and delete the com.pplauncher.plist file.
Step 6 Navigate to Application Support folder > pplauncher and delete the pplauncher file.
Apple will likely roll out a patch in the next few weeks provided this malware manages to
